How to Remove a Car Battery

Your battery plays a key role in your vehicle’s ability to function, providing the power for igniting the spark plugs that start your vehicle. How to remove a car battery is easier than you’d think, although you want to be careful throughout the process when replacing an old battery with a new one. Learn more with us below as we go over removing a car battery and replacing it with a new one in this quick and easy guide. Auburndale drivers can even order parts online with us when they’re considering removing their own car’s battery!

Preparation for Removing Your Car’s Battery

Batteries can be dangerous when not handled properly due to their amperage. You can seriously injure or electrocute yourself when not handling your car’s battery properly. While the voltage levels of most batteries make it so that you may be okay even if you touch battery terminals, you should never touch a car battery terminal without wearing insulated work gloves. We also recommend wearing safety goggles to protect your eyes from corrosive battery agents. And always turn off your car before attempting to remove the battery, because the largest risk involving your car’s battery is an explosion.

• Take off any jewelry or metal — including necklaces, watches, and bracelets — to prevent getting electrocuted.
• Keep the battery cables in their proper place with zip ties. If they touch, it can create deadly explosion-inducing sparks.
• Cover the positive battery cable end with a cloth once it is removed to avoid the risk of metal-to-metal contact.
• Stay in a well-ventilated area to protect yourself from outgassing from the flammable and dangerous liquid compounds used in your car battery.

How to Remove a Car Battery Step-By-Step

1. Open your car’s hood and find the negative battery terminal. It should have a black plastic cover and/or a minus sign.
2. Locate the bolt head of the negative terminal and, with a wrench or pliers, hold it steady.
3. Use another set of pliers or a wrench to remove the nut.
4. Pull off the negative cable and place it safely away from the battery.
5. Repeat the above steps for the positive cable, being careful to ensure that the two battery cables do not touch!
6. If the battery is held by a securing bracket, use your pliers or wrench to take out the screws and bolts that hold it in place.
7. Lift the battery straight out of the bracket. Remember, it may be heavy.

Our service team can also help you with everything related to your car’s battery, and we can easily help you replace your car’s battery with fast and speedy service. We even offer service and parts specials for your next visit in Lakeland!

How Many Volts is a Car Battery?

A fully charged car battery comes in at 12.6 volts or higher. Expect 13.7 to 14.7 volts when the engine is running!

Your battery should also hold a specific charge (see your make and model’s user manual for more information), and you can informally check for this yourself or bring it in for an inspection. Here’s what to do:

• Start your vehicle and turn your headlights on.
• Notice if your lights are dim. If they are, they may be running on your car’s battery.
• If your lights get brighter when revving the engine, your alternator may be producing some current– but not enough when idle to keep your battery charged.
• If your lights look normal and sufficiently bright, even when revving the engine, your battery is most likely okay.

If you’re getting often-enough notifications from your vehicle’s dashboard about a low battery or even noticing odd display notifications in your center console relating to power (makes and models will vary), those are usually signs that your battery may not be holding a charge or that your vehicle needs to be driven a bit to charge your car’s battery. If these notifications persist, we recommend bringing in your battery for an inspection.

Learn More About Removing a Car Battery With Kelley Automotive Group

Have questions about removing your car’s battery or about our battery services offered at Kelley Automotive Group? Contact our service team today to learn more about your options and schedule an appointment with your vehicle!